Kurt- Living in Covington, you should be modeling the NP! I'm a former Washingtonian, who grew up on the west side. In a Milw family that lived near an NP line! Perhaps we even passed each other at a show or swap meet! Am curious as to what N you have? I know a couple of N scale Milw folks who might be interested. Please click on the "Message" button showing in this post, and drop me a note! Or perhaps post a list over in the Yellow Forum. A maybe even a link to that in the Milwaukee Road (CMSt.P&P) Fallen Flags Forum? Boxcab E50
Geez! You don't have to be living in NP territory to enjoy the many virtues of modeling the NP, you just have to have the passion for NP modeling! Like me! -Robert
Here's a picture of my scratchbuilt Milwaukee Road Opera Window Centerbeam car in Z Scale. It's a prototype, and I made the design even better, but I have yet to find the time to make some more: -Robert
GreetingZ Everybody, So, iZ this where we're supposed to check in for departing trainZ? Robert Ray and Rob KluZ know me (too well from my long-winded postZ to the Z_Scale Yahoo group, and I'm a co-founder with Robert, Ted LaMar, and a few otherZ, of the Bay Area Z Scale Module Cooperative (aka The BAZ BoyZ or, more colloquially, the BAZtahdZ I started in O-27 with my uncle's WW-II era Lionel trains in the late 1960s, dropped down to HO when we moved to a house where the O-27s wouldn't fit, and then I went off to college and then a career in the Navy, when I built N scale modules, since I was moving around every 2 - 3 years, and living in military housing and aboard ships (if you can call trying to sleep under a flight deck with 24 hour/day takeoffs and landings by high-performance jet aircraft and helicopters "living"! I got into Z scale after I retired from the Navy about 10 years ago, so that I could "take it all with me" to connect up with layouts built by family and fellow Navy friendZ across the continent. I'm building "miniModuleZ" that are 12 x 20 inches that fit into a standard 22-inch rollaboard airline bag, and connect together along the edges to form Z-Bend Track compatible moduleZ that are 24 x 40 inches, or any other size I might need, and there are three-piece legs for 18, 36 and 50 inch display heights. Not only that, but I am building track, scenery and structure subModuleZ in multiples of four inches on a side (e.g., 4 x 4, 4 x 8, 8 x 12, etc.) that can be assembled on the miniModuleZ "benchwork" for various layout configurations, eras, and locales. I have been able to get eight miniModuleZ into a 24 x 80 inch layout into a 22 inch rollaboard bag, and 20 miniModuleZ for a 24 x 200 (or 36 x 120, or 48 x 100, etc., inch) layout into a large checked luggage bag. I will be taking a bunch of the miniModuleZ to NTS to connect up to the ZBT moduleZ that will have 500 ~ 600 feet of Z scale mainlineZ on them. I'm looking forward to gabbing with everyone here, and if anything I type can be taken as humorous, that's the intent (even if they're horrible punZ or bitingly sarcastic). All Z BeZt, Jim
I'm still here too! Oh, that's right, i'm always here. Next week is my 5 year anniversary as a Trainboard member -Robert
I'm still here!! Although I will be taking a short Z break. I have heavy travel in the next few weeks for work (I'm in Chicago right now!). I'm also getting married on April 16th and will be in Acapulco, Mexico for a week. But as soon as I'm back, I will be full steam ahead on photo-etched Bethgons, enclosed autoracks, and NS TopGons, as well as updating the website and stocking turnouts at few hobbyshops/vendors. Busy, busy, busy. Good news is that I have 75% of my 14,400 wood ties laid on my layout!! I will post some pics as soon as I get home.
It sounds like you have a full dance card Eric! I did 10 years of Field Service, so I know how busy you must be, especially with a startup hobby business too! I'm looking forward to your new Z Scale products, they sound like just what we need to kickstart Z Scale!
I'm here from Z_Scale and Tri-State Z Scalers Without going nearly into the same detail as Mr. Manley (only Stephen King could! ) I will give some quick details. My wife didn't know what she was saying yes to when I asked if she minded if I bought a Z Scale set on Ebay. The next thing she knew our beautiful Italian dining room table is now my layout space...at least until she says move it! I am modelling the Northeast Corridor circa 1960 thanks to Marklin's incredible GG1. Add the Broadway Limited passenger cars and some incredible mix of Marklin and Micro-Trains box cars, and soon some F7's and you'll see a great lineup. I also have European Era IV (with some III) going but I may make 2 layouts or a dual layout that can convert from North America to European, specifically Deutsche Bahn. I will soon build a module or 2 I can store in my 2nd bedroom closet as we are expecting our first child, G-d willing, in July! I will miss the Z Scale Convention but it will well be worth it! The baby will be a boy so you can guess there will be a train theme---and as Rob Kluz has wisely advised, all Z Scale is a choking hazard! I saw my first Z scale train in 1979, this kid Tobey brought into school , (I can't remember his last name) , during lunch in the 5th grade. I had an HO set forever at that point, my older brother had an old N gauge set. For me though, seeing Z was it. Well 25 years later, I got my first Z set and have not looked back. I am single handedly helping the US & German as well as Ebay economies We live in a wonderful community but not near too many good hobby stores. I deal with online authrorized Marklin & Micro-Trains dealers but will go to some of the local Marklin guys locally on Long Island and in Manhattan. Well that is all for now! Michael
Hi Bill, Welcome to Trainboard! For those of you who may not know, Bill is the man behind Z-Bend Track, the man who created the most popular Z Scale modular standard. If you are considering building your layout in modular form, I would recommend using this format, as there are Z-Bend Track clubs springing up all over now. Several of the Trainboard members are already building ZBT modules, and there is a great gathering in Cincinnati this year, where it looks like a 50' x 70' space of Z-Bend Track modules will be assembled at the NTS! -Robert
I was unaware of that. Wow, this list keeps getting better. Welcome Bill! Heck we might just get a whole bunch more after the yahoo group changed its looks.
Welcome to TrainBoard!!!!!!! Look forward to hearing and seeing some of your Great Z Scale work here soon...
Count me in as another Z scale convert. I still model O gauge but lately, my focus has been on Z. It's nice to know that you can build a railroad empire in such a small space. I'm also looking forward to the MTL GP35 this fall. Anyone going to the NMRA show in Cincinnati in July? Doug
Hi Doug, I'm going to both the NMRA/NTS in Cinci and the Z Scale Convention in Columbus. I have to register yet, but now that my taxes are finally done, I can put it in the budget for sure. Are you going to both of these events? -Robert
Hi Robert, I'm going to Cincy for sure, Columbus maybe depending on my schedule. I haven't registered yet myself but hopefully I'll be going. I only live 130 miles away. Doug
